Vikings Tame Lions 34-24

The Minnesota Vikings got a much needed NFC North win over the Detroit Lions Sunday afternoon at Mall of America Field in downtown Minneapolis 34-24, sweeping the season series.

Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder broke out of a slump, hitting Jarius Wright on a 54-yard pass on the opening drive of the game to set up a TD pass to Wright two plays later. Wright was only active because Minnesota star Percy Harvin was out with a sprained ankle.

The Vikings built a 16-3 lead in the 3rd quarter on three Blair Walsh field goals before he Lions got in the end zone with a Mathew Stafford to Brandon Pettigrew 16 yard touchdown.

The Vikings answered with an 8-play, 62 yard drive capped by a 20 yard touchdown from Ponder to tight end Kyle Rudolph.

Titus Young countered again for the Lions on a one yard touchdown reception before Minnesota's Adrian Peterson finally broke free for a 61 yard touchdown run to put the Vikings up by two touchdowns midway through the final quarter.

The Lions closed the scoring on an 11-yard TD catch by Calvin Johnson with 2:00 left. Megatron set a personal best with 12 catches for 207 yards and the score, only his second on the season.

Peterson continues to make his case for comeback player of the year after tearing his ACL and MCL on Christmas Eve last year, running for 171 yards on 27 carries.

Ponder had one of his best games of the season completing 24 of 32 passes for 221 yards and two scores with no interceptions.Stafford went 28 pf 42 for 329 yards and three TD's. He was intercepted once in the first quarter by South Dakota native Chad Greenway.

The Vikings go into their bye week at 6-4 and will go to Chicago to face the first place Bears November 25th.